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Giraffe populations are in trouble — and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Wednesday proposed listing three subspecies of the tall animals as endangered and two species as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
Their populations have been declining because of poaching, habitat loss and climate change, officials said. While giraffes are not native to the U.S., listing them under the act would still provide protections to giraffe populations.
The Endangered Species Act, enacted in 1973, establishes protections for fish, wildlife and plants that are listed as threatened or endangered. Under the act, federal agencies are required to ensure their actions are unlikely to jeopardize listed species, according to the agency.
"Federal protections for giraffes will help protect a vulnerable species, foster biodiversity, support ecosystem health, combat wildlife trafficking, and promote sustainable economic practices," USFWS Director Martha Williams said in a press release. "This action supports giraffe conservation while ensuring the United States does not contribute further to their decline."
Specifically, officials said the listing would help giraffes by reducing the illegal hunting and trade of giraffes by requiring permits for import into the U.S. Trade is not the primary factor behind population decline, but it is playing a role, USFWS said. Their hair and tails have long been used in traditional medicine, the agency added, and in recent years giraffes have also been targeted by hunters for bushmeat.
Listing them under the Endangered Species Act would also increase funding for species conservation in range countries and for research efforts to address conservation. It would also provide some limited financial support for developing and managing programs to conserve giraffes, the USFWS said.
Giraffe subspecies from across Africa are at risk, according to the agency. The service proposed listing West African, Kordofan and Nubian giraffes as endangered. It also proposed listing Masai and reticulated giraffes as threatened.
The West African, Kordofan and Nubian — all subspecies of the northern giraffe — have seen their population fall around 77% since 1985, according to federal officials. There are around 5,900 left, including only about 690 West African giraffes remain.
The vast majority of reticulated giraffes live in Kenya, and their population is estimated at 15,985, according to USFWS. There are around 45,400 Masai giraffes — an amount roughly equivalent to 67% of their population in the 1970s.
Giraffes feed on leaves, stems, flowers and fruits, so human population growth and habitat loss can hurt the species. Instances of drought have also led to increased human-wildlife conflicts.
The proposed rule to list the giraffe species has a 90-day comment period.